Before the cabin of the Baptistes, Jean Saville touched his cap and
stopped.

"Yes?" said the factor; "what is it, Jean?"

"Assuredly, M'sieu, has the tide of the spring set in. Pierre but now
reports the coming of a band of strangers down the river. They come in
canoes, five of them, well manned and armed as if the country of the
Assiniboine were bristling with dangers instead of being the abode of
God's chosen. Within the hour they will arrive at the landing."

"Thank you, Jean," said McElroy; "I will prepare for the meeting."

The trapper touched his cap and passed.

"Ah," smiled the factor to himself, "I like this bustle of passage. It
is good after the winter's housing, and who knows? There may be those
among the strangers who bring word from Hudson Bay."

He turned briskly back and gave word to Jack de Lancy and his wife
Rette to cook a great meal, also to see that the store-room was cleared
sufficiently by the more orderly packing back of the goods to allow of
five canoe-loads of men sleeping upon the floor. Then he passed down
the main way, out of the gate in the warm sun and took his place at the
landing to look eagerly down stream for the first coming of the
strangers. Not far from the enthusiasm of boyhood was this young factor
of Fort de Seviere.

And within the hour, as Jean had said, they came, rounding the distant